The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-11-22
THE REV. MIR. BERRY AT HOME.

"a Living, Earnest, Nervous, sympathetic
Man" with No Suggestion of FRESHNESS.
New York Tribune
The call of the Rev Mr.. Berry, of England
TO succeed Mr.. Beecber in Plymouth Church.
lends interest to an English opinion of Mr..
Berry. which Church of England correspond
ent has contributed to a Northampton paper,
The Midland Counties Express
81 attended Queenstreet Congregational
Chapel" he begins Il beg pardon. church
should have said-on the Sunday evening pre-
ceding the pastors departure for America TO
occupy, and feel sure to occupy most worthily,
what NAV call the conspicuous pulpit of Ply
mouth Church, Brooklyn. long associated
and forever in the minds of men inseparably
associatsd-with the honored name of Henry
Ward Beecher.
GAS TO the personal appearance and charac-
teris,ics of the reverend gentleman. find if diff
ficut to say anything. This reason is because
he Is so like an ordinary man. If l belonged to
the Queen-street congregation should describe
our minister as one of us Neither in his dress,
nor in his mode of speaking. nor in his manner
isms, nor in his conception OF his Office and its
functions, nor in the mental attitude he pre-
sents to his congregation is there anything sug-
gestive of the priesty Office. We may bring
before our minds eye very many types of this
ecclesiastic but none of them would be sug-
gestive of Mr.. Berry. He looks like q man. and
he does not look like a parson. much less a
priest. He speaks like mau-aliv;ne, earnest,
nervous. sympathetic man, who feels he has
something to say and he speaks like man
who knows they are living men and women to
whom he is speaking
appeared in Plymouth Church, that Everything
definite we hear about him satisfies that he is
a man after Mr.. Beecher's own heart" Ger
tainly, the description quoted above might we'll
have been written of Henry Ward Beecher. 1t
was doubtless In part this absolute freedom from
priesty ecclesias ticsm, this earnest, nervous,
sympathetic" manner. as we'll as the acceptable
words ne spoke. that led more than one member
OF Plymouth Church. before Mr.. Berry had
finished his first sermou-in one case during
his opening prayer-to say to his neighbour
This is our mani
The letter continues: 'sIu hearing Mr.. Berry
you are struck with the fact that he belongs
sentially and exclusively to today. His eyes,
his ears his heart, they are all open to what is
being said. and thought, and felt. and borne, and
feared. and hoped for, and needed by those of
this generation. He, therefore. breaches not
new gospel bnt living gospel; eospeI for to-
day, gospel full of endless adaptations, and his
message is shaped TO urgent needs of living men.
'As preacher. Mr.. Berry is sineularly effect
i've. He breaches with his whole heart and
strength. Preaching is most probably, to him,
In limited sense, what poetry was to Coleridge
its own reward But the reward is largely
added to by the rapt attention of his hearers.
He adheres when preaching closely to his
manuscript but nothing could be said more
m. than to affirm, that he s rsads
Zionist. So far his dependence upon
his manuscript is concerned, he has the art
which conceals art. His delivery is not affected
by his reading while by his reading he is able
to present discourse not merely full almost to
repetion of fine thoughts, bnt thoughts con-
veyed in most striking language. He sweeps
along almost resistlessly, and pearls of utmost
value fall from his lips in quick succession.
"The sermon / heard was healthy, hopeful,
and calculated to have
nous and an abiding influence all seekers
after truth . / left the service profoundly
convinced that large contribution to the
lieious life OF Wolverhampton and the surround
ing district has it's source and Its spring at the
Queen-street Congregational Church"
IF this churchman's impression of Mr. Berry
are correct it would seem though Plymouth
Church. n a
peculiarly well adapted qualities had made
mistake.